Nardò West Hollywood

If you follow national pizza awards, you’ll be intrigued to hear that Nardò’s Neapolitan pies have won a few. They also get an imaginary gold star from us, too, with their sturdy bottoms, just-wet center, and crusts as soft as fine cashmere. Save for a solid grilled ribeye however, the rest of the menu at this white-marble Italian spot originally from Huntington Beach is fairly forgettable, like gnocchi ortolana overloaded with pesto and a salt-deprived seafood linguine. The good news is that pizza is still worth planning around. Sit on the breezy patio, sip an Aperol spritz, and stick with the simple pies. Follow this equation and Nardò works as a solid option on restaurant-packed West 3rd Street.

Food Rundown

Margherita

A standard, well-executed margherita. The puffy crust is so tender you can twist it like a handkerchief, and won’t fall apart. The pomodoro is tart, the mozzarella is evenly distributed, and there’s a salty kiss from the parmesan sprinkled on top.

Linguine Tartine

We appreciate the al dente housemade squid linguine in this pasta dish, but the sauce tastes like someone spilled clam juice in bland pomodoro.